Folding ironing table



Dec. 16, 1930} c DANIELSON I 1,784,959

FOLDING IRON ING TABLE Filed Aug. 12 ,1929 2 Sheets-Sheet l (Emit/a5Zinnia/ 50 Dec. 16, 1930. c, bANlELsON 1,784,959

FOLDING IRONING TABLE Filed Aug. 12. 1929 2 SheetsSheet 2 I -[IIHPatented Dec. 16, 1930 ems oHAnLEs'nANInLsoN, onMrNNEAPoLIs, MINNESOTA,AssIGNoR To EnIcso nLsoN MANUFACTURING ooMPANY, or MINNEAPOLIS,

SOUTH DAKOTA MINNESOTA, A ccnronarroN or roLnINeInoNrNe'TABLEjApplication' fil ed August 12, 1929. Serial 110,355,181.

M I present invention is in the nature of an improvement on a refinementof the folding ironing table disclosed and broadly claimed in myco-pending application, filed January 14, 1928, 1 under Serial Number246,";- 14 and has for its object the provisionof such a table that isof simple construc tion, easy to set up or fold, and when set up is veryrigid, and when folded'its supporting members come within the field ofthe ironing board, thus facilitating the handling, packing, and shippingthereof and permitting a large number-of the ironing tables to beshipped in a car. 7 To the above end, generally stated, the inventionconsists of the novel devices and combinations -ofdevices hereinafterscribed and defined in the'claims.

In the accompanying drawings, which illustrate the invention, likecharacters indicate like parts throughout the Referring to the drawings:Fig. 1 is a plan view of the improved ironing table; I i

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same; Fig. 3 is a rear end elevationof the ironing table;

Fig 4 is a detail view with some tioned on the line 44 of Fig. 3;

several views.

parts secsome parts sectioned on the line 5--5 of Fig.

3,- on an enlarged scale;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary detailview with some parts sectioned on the line66 of Fig.

2, on an enlarged scale;

7 is a perspective View of the brace removed frornthe upright legs, onan enlarged scale; t

Fig. 8 is a perspective View of the front 4 reinforcing bar removed froman enlarged scale;

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary detail vview with some parts sectioned on theline 99 of Fig. 2, on an enlarged scale.

Fig. 10 is a'fragmentary detail VlBW with some parts sectioned 'on theline 10-10-0f Fig. 3, on anenlarged scale;

Fig. 11 is a view corresponding to .allgned and the pivot connectiontherebewiththe exception'that the ironing table is partially folded;.and

"longitudinal edge bulged from'said board to alforda pocket ,the uprightlegs 14 are attached for swing- F ig isa fraglnentary'detail view withthe board, on

Fig; 12 is a bottom plan view showing the ironing table folded. v

Of the principal parts of the ironing table, the same includes a board'13, a pair of upright legs 14, a pair of oblique 15, anda strut 16.

Rigidly secured to the board 13, at the wide end thereof, is atransverse metal reinforcing cleat 17, the end portions of which arebent laterally downward to afford a. pair of ears 18 to the outer facesof which-the rear legs 14 are pivoted for swinging movementlongitudinally of said board and with freedom for slight lateralmovement toward and from each other. A transverse metal reinforcingcleat 19 is rigidly secured to" the board-13 at its tapered end andwhich cleat, at its longitudinal center and rear portion, is outwardlylike stop20 for the front or upper end of the strut 16, as willpresentlyappear. The ob lique legs 15. are attached to the cars 18, at

their inner faces by the same pivots to which ing movementlongitudinally ofthe board 13. Said oblique legs '15,. at their free orlower ends, are'sprung togetheriand rigidly connected, as shown'in Fig.2. The upright legs 14 are connected at their outer edges by a cross-tiebar or brace 21 in the form of a'toggle-lever, the members of which areformed from heavy sheet metal and'set vertically edgewise for foldingmove.-

ment in a' vertical plane. Said meinbersof the'brace 21,,at their outerends, are relatively wide and-near. their upper longitudinal edgesarepivoted at 22 to the legs 14. By reference to Fig. 3, it will benoted that the pivotal connection between the members of the brace 21 isslightlybelowa dead center when said brace is straightened. Stopabutments 23 are formed on theouter endsof the members of the brace 21below the pivots 22 and arranged to engage the opposing faces "of theupright legs 14 during the straightening of said' brace and stop thepivotal movement of said members when their upperlongitudinal edges aretween is below adead center.

When the brace 21 is straightened, it holds the upright legs 14: spreadwith their lower end portions projecting outwardly of the longitudinaledge portions of the board 13. The upright legs 14, when the brace 21 isbuckled, are substantiallyparallel and when folded onto the board 13,see Fig. 11, come entirely within the field of said board and do notproject outward thereof. Formed in the upper longitudinal edge portionsof thereleasably connected, when said brace is straightened by a pair ofhook-like retaining lugs 25 lntegrally formed one with the low-erlongitudinal edge of each member of the brace 21 and in which the freeend portions of said members are held. These re aining lugs 25 securelyhold the overlapped nner end portions of the brace 21 pressed togetherand against lateral se aration which materiall c. .7

increases the rigidity of saidbrace and assists the stop abutments 23 inlimiting the pivotal movement of the members of the'brace21, in respectto the upright legs 1 1 and in respect to each other. r j s The strut16, as shown, is in the formof a single wooden bar set verticallyedgewiseand intermediately pivoted to a round cross-tie rod 26, the endsof which are mounted in seats in the opposing faces of the oblique legs15, see Fig. 9. This rod 26 also serves as a brace for the oblique legs15. The strut 16 is held on the rod 26 against, lateral shiftingmovement by a pair of washers 27 onsaid rod and between which the strut16 extends.

- These washers 27 are held against lateral separation-by upset portions28 on the rod 26'. It will be noted, by reference to Fig. 2, that thestrut 16 is pivoted off center to the rod 26 so that its forward endportion is considerably longer than its inner end portions and has thegreatest weight so that the tendency thereof is to fold into the planeof the oblique legs 16. i V J he end of the long portion of the strut 16is taperedfleleasably extends into thepocketlike stop 20 and supportsthe tapered end of the board 13'. Said strut 16. at its inner endportions, releasably rests in: the aligned notches 24, is. held therebyagainst lateral shifting movement on the brace 21 and which strut has inits lower edgea transverse notch 29 into which the members of the brace21 extend and hold said strut against endwiee movement.

This interlocking engagement between the strut 16 and brace 21 holds thelegs 14 against pivotal movement and it also holds said brace frombuckling. Obviously, the strut 16 not only support-s the tapered end ofthe board 13 but also holds the pairs of legs 14 and 15 against pivotalmovement.

The three point contact of the strut 16 between the board 13, obliquelegs 15 and brace 21, is such that said strut is held under slighttension which holds the brace 21 straightened and said strut interlockedtherewith.

On the wide end'of the board 13 is an iron holder 30 formed by reducingthe transverse width of said board 13, attaching a marginal stop flange31 thereto and covering said extension with an insulating pod 32.

By reference to Fig. 12, it will be noted that the pairs of legs 1 1 and15 and strut 16 are folded in substantially the same plane on theunderside of the board 13, that the pair of legs 15 are folded betweenthe legs of the pair 1& andthat the strut 16 is folded between the legsof the pair 15. The strut 16, at its longitudinal edged portion isnotched at 33 to afford clearance for the reinforcing cleat 19 when saidstrut is folded, as shown in Fig. 12. The pair of legs 15 and strut 16are held folded onto the board 13 by the brace 21, which overlies thesame.

It is important to. note that all of the supporting members for theboard 13 come within the field of said board when folded with theexception of the extreme outer ends of the oblique legs 15, whichproject slightly outward of the tapered end of the board 13.

The purpose of thus extending the oblique legs 15' is to facilitate thefolding of the ironing table whereby the same may be supported in anupright position on the oblique legs 15 thus leaving the board 13,upright legs 14,

its

and strut 16, free for swinging movement so that they Wlll hang looselyfolded'against the underside of the board 13 under the action ofgravity. I

To set up the ironing table, the same is first stood on end andsupported on the oblique legs 15, then by taking hold of the upper orshort end of the strut 16, and swinging the same awayfrom the board 13,said board will be engaged by the lower end of the strut 16 and swungaway from the pair of legs 15 until the lower end of the strut 16 passesover the cleat 19 and intointerlocking engagement with the pocket-likestop 20in said cleat. Next the' upright legs 14. are swung away from theoblique pair of legs 15 until the buckled brace 21 engages the undersideof the strut 16 thereby straightening said brace, which spreads the legsltand brings the abutments 23 into contact with the inner faces of saidlegs, and at'the same time causing the overlapped-ends of the members ofthe brace 21 to interlock with the retaining lugs 25. During thismovement of the legs 14, the operator directs the strut 16 into thealigned notches-24 until. stopped. by

the interlocking engagement of the lock. notches 29 with the members ofthe brace 21. At the time of the outward swinging movement of theupright legs 14, the strut 16 by zhe engagement with the members of thebrace 21 is placed under tension so that when its lock notch 29 isaligned with the brace 21, said strut will spring into interlockingengagement therewith. Finally by lowering the upper end of the board 13until the legs 14: engage the floor, the ironing table will be set upready for use, as shown in Fig. 2.

The stop-pocket 20, washers 27, and notches 2e securely hold the strut16 against lateral movement, transversely of the ironing table y isstood on its tapered end or hung on a wall.

To fold the ironing table the operator places his foot against the lowerend portion of the oblique legs 15 and at the same time lifts thetapered end of said board to release the upper end of the strut 16 fromthe sto pocket 20. The release strut 16 will then fall by gravity intosubstantially the plane of the oblique legs 15. This movement of thestrut 16 will release its lower end from the brace 21. The tapered endof the board 13 is then lowered onto the oblique legs 15 and at whichtime the strut 16 completes its folding move ment into the plane of saidlegs. The operator next lifts the wide end of the board 13 and turns theironing table into an upright position in which it rests on the obliquelegs 15. During this movement of the ironing table the upright legs 14'will automatically fold into the plane of the oblique legs 15.Thereafter the operator buckles the brace 21 which draws the spread legs14 into parallel arrangement within the plane of the board 13 andsecures the same over the stop member which holds said brace buckled andthereby prevent the legs from spreading when the ironing board is storedin anupright position.

What I claim is:

1. A folding ironing table including a board, a pair of legs pivoted tothe board for swinging movement longitudinally thereof and with alimited swinging movement toward and from each other, a brace for saidlegs in the form of a toggle-lever the members of which are directlypivoted the one to the other and pivoted at their outer ends to said les, the inner end portions of one of said members being extendedmaterially outward of the pivotal connection therebetween, and aretaining device on the other one of said members with which theextended end portion of the first mentioned member interlocks when thebrace is straightened to hold said members against lateral separation.

- 2 A folding ironing table including va board, apair oflegs pivoted tothe board for swinging movement longitudinally thereof and with alimited swinging movement toward and fromeach other, a brace for saidlegs in the form of a toggle-lever the-members of which are directlyoverlapped, pivotedthe one'to the other and, also pivoted at their outerends to said legs, the inner end portions of said members being extendedmaterially outward of the pivotal connection therebetween, aretaining'device on each of said members with which the extended innerend portions of said membersinterlock when the brace is straightened tohold said members against lateral separation, and a strut havinginterlocking engagement with both members of the brace for holding thelegs against pivotal movement longitudinally of the table and understrain to straighten the brace and hold its members against theretaining devices. V V

3. A folding ironing table comprising a board, a pair of upright legs, apair of oblique legs, said pairs of legs being pivoted to p the sameend.of the board, each pair of legs having a cross-tie brace, a strutintermediately pivoted to the brace for the oblique legs and extendingfrom the brace for the upright legs to the other end of the board andsupporting the same, said strut engaging the brace for the upright legsfor holding said legs against pivotal movement toward the board, andstop means on the two braces and the board for positively holding thestrut at its two ends and intermediate of its ends against lateralmovement in respect to the legs and board. I

4. A folding ironing table including aboard, a pair of legs pivoted tothe board for swinging movement longitudinally thereof and with alimited swinging movement toward and from each other, a brace for saidlegs inthe form of a toggle lever the members of which are directlyoverlapped, pivoted the one to the other and also pivoted at their outerends to said legs, the inner end portions of said members being extendedmaterially outward of the pivotal connection therebetween, a retainingdevice on each of said members with which the extended inner endportions of said members interlock when the brace is straightened tohold said members against lateral separation, and a strut resting on thebrace and under strain to straighten the same and hold its membersagainst the retaining devices, said strut having a lock notch in whichthe members of the brace extend to hold the legs against pivotalmovement longitudinally of the table and said membershaving coincidentlock notches in which the strut rests to hold said strut against lateralmovement on the brace.

5. A folding ironing table comprising aboard, a pair of upright legspivoted to the board for swinging movementlongitudinal- 1y thereof andwith a limited swinging movement towardand from each other, a brace forsaid legs in'the form of a toggle-lever the members or" which aredirectly overlapped, pivoted the one to the other and also pivoted attheir outer ends to said legs, the inner end portions of said membersbeing extended materially outward of the pivotalconnection therebetween,stop abutments on the outer end portions of the members of the bracearranged to engage the legs and limit the pivotal movement of saidmembers during the straightening movement oi the brace, and a retainingdevice on each of said members of the brace between its two pivot pointsin which the free end portion ofthe other member of the brace extendsand ties the two mem bers of the brace together against relativelylateral movement when the brace is straight.

In testimony whereof I atfix my signature.

CHARLES DANIELSON.

